Hong Kong bans trawling to save fish stocks - Yahoo! News

Hong Kong has banned trawl fishing in its waters, a decision welcomed by conservationists Friday as a crucial move to save fish stocks and revive the city's depleted marine environment. The measure, which is expected to come into effect in late 2012, comes after a long campaign by environmental groups who say the method is extremely damaging to the seabed and fish stocks. The territory's law-making body approved the ban on Wednesday, and proposed a HK$1.7 billion ($219 million) scheme to provide payments to some 400 affected trawler owners and deckhands. "(The ban) can strengthen the sustainable development of the fishing industry, and to maintain a good oceanic environment," Hong Kong's health chief York Chow told the Legislative Council, according to a statement. A spokeswoman from the Food and Health Bureau, which oversees trawl fishing activities, told AFP Friday that ...